The VCCS Technology in Education Awards were established in 2000 by former Chancellor Arnold Oliver and the VCCS New Horizons Conference Committee. They showcase excellence in technology use, adaptation, and development by faculty, staff, and administrators to enhance the teaching, learning, and working environment in the VCCS. Nominations are solicited from individuals or teams and the entries are judged by a committee of VCCS faculty and staff.
Finalists and their projects are an important highlight of the VCCS New Horizons conference. They are selected based on the information submitted during the nomination process. Finalists are required to register for and attend the conference as well as present their work in a concurrent session. TIE finalists are to be given top priority for lodging at the conference hotel.
1. Creation and/or Best Use of Shared Content/Learning Objects in Support of Traditional Classroom and Distance Learning Environment. This goes to a person or team that creates and/or makes the best use of shared learning content/objects. This includes work with technologies such as:
Presentations
Simulations
Lab software
Lab activities
Web support for classes
and other uses of technology to teach students inside the distance learning, traditional, or hybrid classroom. Shared learning content/objects are made available at a minimum to all VCCS faculty for use in their courses. The projects may have been developed at one college, but are being used by more than one Virginia Community College.
2. Institutional Technology. This includes college, campus, division, and other specialty web sites, e-mail systems, intranets, software for administrative functions, and other uses of technology to improve the quality and efficiency of the educational experience for students, college personnel, and other interested parties.
3. Technology in Education Leadership. This goes to a person instrumental in increasing the innovative uses of technology at a college. This person could be:
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An early adopter, someone who is constantly trying new approaches and new technologies,
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An engineer, someone who makes things work, or
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A visionary, someone who has helped developed a coherent and effective plan for technology use at an institution.
4. Virtual Learning Environment. This award goes to an individual or team who demonstrates improved student success, retention, or program completion in an online learning environment through innovative use or adaptation of instructional technology and/or alternative pedagogy. This category applies to an online:
5. Best in Show. This award goes to an individual or team whose presentation embodies the “Wow” factor in presenting their project for the benefit of the judges and the viewing public. All finalists in the four categories listed above will be automatically considered for this award. The award will be based upon a combination of judges’ scores and attendees’ ballots completed on site.
Full-time and part-time VCCS employees of all personnel categories are eligible to receive a TIE award or be a member of a TIE award winning team.
- Does it serve the mission of the college and Dateline 2009?
- Does it improve instructional effectiveness and improve student outcomes?
- Is it successful? How do you know?
- Is sustainable, reliable, and able to be duplicated elsewhere?
Nominations for the 2008 TIE Awards are accepted online through the conference web site for the current year. Full-time and part-time VCCS personnel may submit nominations for their own work or the work of others; however, multiple nominees for a single project are asked to make their submission together. Nominations must be for work done in the Virginia Community College System.